ISLAMABAD – Four Kashmiri students studying at a Benguluru college in theIndian state of Karnataka have been barred from attending their nursingclasses for growing beard.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the students, three from the first yearB.Sc (Nursing) and one from second-year faced, the discrimination afterPriyadarshini joined the college — the Adarsh College of Nursing inMariyappana, Mallathahalli as the new principal nearly a month ago.

Media reports said the principal has cited ‘hygiene’, to bar the studentsfrom taking their classes. “The students were told by the principal that ifthey fail to shave off their beard, their internal marks would be affectedand they could face expulsion,” the reports claimed.

“For the last one week, we are being sent out of class on instructions fromthe principal for not shaving our beards. The management was fine with ourbeards when we got our admission at the college. All of a sudden, theprincipal, who joined just 20 days ago, asked us to shave our beards andbarred us from attending classes. The beards are part of our religion and Idon’t understand why it should bother the principal. Even on Wednesday, wecould attend only two classes and when the principal got to know of it, sheasked the lecturers to send us out,” the students told the media.

Justifying her decision, the college principal told the media that therewas a need for students to be ‘disciplined and maintain hygiene’. – APP